Method and means for filling cigarette lighters



Feb. 8, 1955 G. L. DAVIS 2,701,673

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FILLING CIGARETTE LIGHTERS Filed Dec. 22, 1952 Geore Z m7 Dal AS 7 y INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent METHOD AND MEANS FOR FILLING CIGARETTELIGHTERS George Lynn Davis, Houston, Tex.

Application December 22, 1952, Serial No. 327,315

2 Claims. (Cl. 226-27) The invention concerns a method and means forfilling cigarette lighters with volatile, combustible fluid.

The invention contemplates a method of filling cigarette lighters inwhich the fluid reservoir of the lighter is connected to a receptaclecontaining a supply of fluid, by connecting means having a capillary orwicking action, and the connection is maintained for a substantialperiod of time whereby the mass of absorbent material with which thefluid reservoir is filled becomes saturated with fluid.

The invention further contemplates a method of the type described inwhich the connecting means has a syphon action.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement in which aconventional lighter is modified to include filling means comprising atubular connecting member which extends outwardly from the fluidreservoir of the lighter and is filled with absorbent material having acapillary or wicking action, the tubular connecting member being open atboth ends and the inner end thereof being surrounded by the mass ofabsorbent material with which the fluid reservoir is filled.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement of the type describedin which the tubular connecting member is bent 180 degrees intermediateits ends, the inner end thereof being wholly enclosed within the body ofthe lighter and being disposed at a somewhat lower elevation than theouter end whereby the tubular connecting member is capable of acting asa syphon.

The invention further contemplates a filling receptacle adapted to beused in conjunction with a lighter having filling means of the typedescribed, the receptacle having a self sealing opening adapted toreceive the outer end of the tubular connecting member forming a part ofthe lighter.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement of the type describedin which a depression is formed in the body of the lighter, surroundingthe tubular connecting member, adapted to receive an upstanding, tubularconnecting member forming a part of the filling receptacle, ashereinafter described.

The invention further contemplates a filling receptacle of the typedescribed having filling means including an upstanding, tubularconnecting member which is receivable within the depression formed inthe body of the lighter, the upstanding, tubular connecting member beingformed of resilient material and having a self sealing opening in theend thereof adapted to receive the outer end of the tubular connectingmember forming a part of the lighter.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement of the type describedin which a depression, adapted to receive the lighter bodily, is formedin the body of the filling receptacle surrounding the upstanding,tubular connecting member.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement of the type describedin which the connecting members are reversed, the tubular connectingmember forming a part of the lighter being transferred to the fillingreceptacle and a self sealing opening being formed in the body of thelighter.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement of the type describedin which the body of the filling receptacle is formed of resilientmaterial, whereby the lighter may be filled by simply squeezing the bodyof the receptacle.

The invention further contemplates an arrangement in "ice which a selfsealing opening, adapted to receive a filling nozzle of any kind, isformed in the body of the lighter.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a view in elevation, partly in section, showing a lighter anda filling receptacle embodying the invention, in operative position, asthey appear during the filling operation.

F'Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is asectional view in elevation, taken at right angles to the view shown inFig. 1, of the filling receptacle only.

Fig. 4 is a plan view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a conventional typeof cigarette lighter which has been modified to include the features ofthe invention, while the numeral 2 designates a filling receptacleembodying the invention.

The lighter 1 includes a body or casing 3, which is generallyrectangular in shape. The casing 3 encloses a fluid reservoir which isfilled with a mass of absorbent material 4, in the usual manner. thecasing 3 is depressed inwardly to form an upstanding bell shaped portion5, which is open at its lower end and adapted to receive an upstanding,tubular connecting member forming a part of the receptacle 2, ashereinafter described. A tubular connecting member 6, which is ofsmaller diameter than the bell shaped portion 5 and is bent degreesintermediate its ends, is disposed within the casing 3 so that one endthereof extends outwardlyand downwardly into the bell shaped portion 5while the other end is wholly enclosed within the casing 3 and extendsdownwardly to a point near the lower end thereof. The tubular member 6is open at both ends, and is filled with a mass of absorbent material '7having a capillary or wicking action. The inner end of the tubularmember 6 is surrounded by the mass of absorbent material 4, whereby theabsorbent material 7 is in direct contact with the absorbent material 4.The inner end of the tubular member 6 is disposed at a somewhat lowerelevation than the outer end, whereby the tubular member 6 is capable ofacting as a syphon, and fluid is prevented {,rom6 flowing in reversedirection thru the tubular mem- The filling receptacle 2 preferably ismade of resilient, plastic material and comprises a hollow body, whichis generally rectangular in shape and has a top 8, a bottom 9, a pair ofside walls 10 and a pair of end walls 11. The bottom 9 is slopeddownwardly from the ends toward the middle, so that fluid containedwithin the receptacle tends to flow by gravity toward the middlethereof. The top 8 is depressed inwardly at its middle to form a well 12which is generally rectangular in shape and is disposed transverselywith respect to the receptacle 2. The well 12 is open at the top and isadapted to receive bodily the lower end of the lighter 1. A tubularconnecting member 13, which preferably is made of resilient, plasticmaterial and is receivable within the bell shaped portion 5 of thelighter 1, extends upwardly from the bottom of the well 12. A selfsealing opening 14, adapted to receive the outer end of the tubularconnecting member 6 of the lighter 1, is formed in the upper end of theupstanding, tubular connecting member 13. The upstanding, tubularconnecting member 13 forms a fluid tight seal with the bell shapedportion 5, and any drip which may occur is collected in the well 12.

In operation, the lighter 1 is placed in the well 12 of the receptacle2, so that the upstanding, tubular connecting member 13 is receivedwithin the bell shaped portion 5 and the outer end of the tubularconnecting member 6 is received within the self sealing opening 14. Theconnection between the lighter 1 and the receptacle 2 is maintained fora substantial period of time whereby the absorbent material 4 becomessaturated with fluid.

The invention may be modified in various ways without departing from thespirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. The combination of a cigarette lighter having a fluid reservoircontaining a mass of absorbent material adapted The lower end of V intothe bell shaped portion, the tubular rnember being open at both ends andbeing filled with a mass of absorbent material, the tubular member beingbent 180 degrees intermediate its ends, the inner end of the tubularmember being disposed within the fluid reservoir, with the absorbentmaterial thereof in direct contact with the absorbent material of thefluid reservoir, and the inner end of the tubular member being disposedat a somewhat lower elevation than the outer end whereby the tubularmember is capable of a syphon action.

2. In combination with a cigarette lighter as described in claim 1, areceptacle adapted to contain a supply of fluid, the receptacle beingdepressed inwardly to form a well adapted to receive the lighter bodily,and a tubular connecting member extending upwardly from the bottom ofthe well, the tubular connecting member of the receptacle beingreceivable within the bell shaped portion of the lighter and having aself sealing opening in its upper end adapted to receive the outer endof the tubular connecting member of the lighter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS584,091 Leidich June 8, 1897 1,734,388 Marsh NOV. 5, 1929 2,064,584AIOnSOII Dec. 15, 1936 2,157,512 Watt May 9, 1939 2,534,068 Sandor Dec.12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 44,885 Austria NOV. 10, 1910 153,298 AustriaApr. 25, 1938 229,979 Germany Jan. 1 2, 1911

